Lord, do not your eyes(A) look for truth?
    You struck(B) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.(C)
They made their faces harder than stone(D)
    and refused to repent.(E)

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28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.(A) Truth(B) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

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30 “In vain I punished your people;
    they did not respond to correction.(A)
Your sword has devoured your prophets(B)
    like a ravenous lion.

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Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’(A)
Then her place of refuge[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly(B) in all they did.

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Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 3:7 Or her sanctuary
  2. Zephaniah 3:7 Or all those I appointed over

For the eyes(A) of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish(B) thing, and from now on you will be at war.(C)

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Jerusalem

Woe to the city of oppressors,(A)
    rebellious(B) and defiled!(C)
She obeys(D) no one,
    she accepts no correction.(E)
She does not trust(F) in the Lord,
    she does not draw near(G) to her God.

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But the people of Israel are not willing to listen(A) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.(B) But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.(C) I will make your forehead(D) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.(E) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(F)

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25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,(A)
    the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,(B) yet they did not understand;(C)
    it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.(D)

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The Lord is in his holy temple;(A)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(B)
He observes everyone on earth;(C)
    his eyes examine(D) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(E)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(F)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(G)
    a scorching wind(H) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(I)
    he loves justice;(J)
    the upright(K) will see his face.(L)

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Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits(A) and live!(B)

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Or do you show contempt for the riches(A) of his kindness,(B) forbearance(C) and patience,(D) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(E)

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(F), when his righteous judgment(G) will be revealed.

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Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.

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11 “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly(A) they turned their backs(B) and covered their ears.(C) 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint(D) and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.(E) So the Lord Almighty was very angry.(F)

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13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(A) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(B)

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19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.(A) Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind;(B) you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.(C)

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15 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster(A) I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked(B) and would not listen(C) to my words.’”

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26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention.(A) They were stiff-necked(B) and did more evil than their ancestors.’(C)

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For I knew how stubborn(A) you were;
    your neck muscles(B) were iron,
    your forehead(C) was bronze.

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Why should you be beaten(A) anymore?
    Why do you persist(B) in rebellion?(C)
Your whole head is injured,
    your whole heart(D) afflicted.(E)
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head(F)
    there is no soundness(G)
only wounds and welts(H)
    and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged(I)
    or soothed with olive oil.(J)

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